My Hero
by NettieC
Summary: Eight months into her pregnancy with twins, Harriet is struggling to cope.  This is a snapshot of life in the Roberts household, and Harriet's relationship with her oldest son, AJ.


**Wednesday**

AJ Roberts came home from school on a wintry Wednesday afternoon annoyed his substitute teacher had set a writing composition for homework. The topic of the composition was 'My Hero' and AJ was not impressed.

'But mom it's not fair. Mrs Colbert doesn't set compositions for homework.'

'Well, AJ, Miss Mansfield isn't Mrs Colbert.'

'But mom she only gave us two days to do it.'

'Well, AJ, you can do some tonight and some tomorrow night.'

'But mom…'

'Oh AJ do stop! We both know that, like always, you are going to do your homework. Why do we have to argue every time?'

AJ's call of 'It's just not fair,' echoed in the kitchen as he made his way upstairs.

'I'll tell you what's not fair,' Harriet mumbled to herself. 'Being as big as a house, not seeing your feet in God knows how long and wondering if you husband will ever make …How long have you been standing there, AJ?'

'Long enough to hear you talking to yourself.'

'Well, there's no one else to talk too.'

AJ went to get a drink from the fridge as Harriet answered the phone.

'Oh no, Sweetie, late again,' said Harriet sadly. 'No, no, I understand. Love you too.' She hung up the phone.

'Alone again, naturally,' she muttered to herself.

Bud had worked many late nights in recent weeks and with Harriet being eight months pregnant with twins, trying to cope with AJ and Jimmy was becoming more and more difficult.

'Your Dad will be home late,' Harriet told AJ.

'Oh, I wanted him to help me with my homework.'

'I'll help you, AJ.'

'No, it has to be dad.'

'Why does it have to be dad?' Harriet asked wearily.

'Because he's my hero.' AJ stormed out.

Dinner was a quiet affair. AJ was annoyed with his father's latest absence. Harriet was exhausted. Only Jimmy enjoyed himself, merrily chatting to himself and spreading his Spaghetti Bolognese as far as he could.

'Oh Jimmy no,' sighed Harriet as he upended his bowl over the floor but she made no attempt to move.

Harriet looked at the mess that was her kitchen and her life. She knew Bud was working hard and it wasn't his choice to be away. She was proud of the work he was doing and the man he was. It just didn't help her get through the days and nights of being a single parent; a very fat, pregnant single mother.

'I'll tell you what, Sweetie, when I clean up here and put Jimmy to bed we'll sit down and I can tell you all about your dad. Deal?'

AJ looked at his worn and weary mother, in his heart he knew she was trying to do her best.

'OK,' he agreed.

By the time Harriet crawled into bed at nearly 2300 Bud still wasn't home. She had helped AJ draft his composition and had found her heart swelling with pride as she related numerous stories about Bud's achievements, his ability to overcome adversity and his genuine good nature. During the night she was woken twice by Jimmy and once by the wind rattling the shutters in AJ's room. Each time she had waddled out to solve the problem and then waddled back to bed – all the while half asleep. At sometime in the early hours Bud had arrived home but she didn't wake him. She knew he needed to sleep because before dawn he'd be up again to work another eighteen hour day.

**Thursday**

At 0530 when Bud kissed his wife goodbye she managed to open her eyes and say, 'I'm sorry do I know you?'

Bud laughed but Harriet didn't see the humour in it. She closed her eyes but what seemed like moments later AJ came bounding in.

'No school today mom, it's a Snow Day.'

'Huh?' she replied groggily.

It's a Snow Day – look!' He pulled back the curtains and Harriet squinted as the light hit her face.

'A bit of snow doesn't make it a Snow Day, AJ.' She turned on the radio for the 6.30 news.

'…School Closures….' Harriet held her breath. She loved her son dearly but the thought have having him underfoot all day brought her to the brink of tears.

'Yes!' exclaimed AJ when he heard his school mentioned.

'Oh Lord,' was Harriet's mumbled reply.

'What are we going to do today, mom?' he asked excitedly.

'First we are going to sleep.'

'Oh mom, you are so boring. Gee, I wish dad was home.'

'Me too, son. Me too.'

By 1000 AJ was suffering from a malady that often afflicts housebound little boys.

'Mom, I'm bored.'

'Mom, there's nothing to do.'

'Mom, can I have a drink?'

'Mom, when's lunch?'

'Mom, can I play PSII?'

'Mom, I'm bored.'

'I'll _bored_ you,' Harriet muttered to herself, her patience a thing of the past. 'I tell you what AJ, write out the good copy of your composition and after lunch I'll play whatever you want.'

'But mom…'

'AJ!'

'You win.'

'Here it's done,' AJ said handing his mother a piece of paper with a child's scrawled handwriting and simple stick figure pictures.

_My Hero_

_By AJ Roberts_

_My hero is a Commander in the Navy. He is a lawyer and a Star Trek fan. My hero is a brave man, he lost his leg in Afghanistan trying to save a little boy like me, but I never saw him cry. My hero always tries to help people. He is always polite and he is a caring person. Sometimes when he is at work with Uncle Harm and Auntie Mac he has to work long hours and sometimes he has to go away too. I miss him when he is gone but mom says he is serving our country and we should be proud, so I am. My hero is my dad, Bud Roberts, and I want to be just like him._

Harriet put the paper down on the table and wiped away her tears.

'Don't you like it?' AJ asked.

'I love it. It's beautiful – you are such a clever little boy,' she said with pride kissing his head, what she had read was not what they had drafted the previous day.

'So now will you play Crash Bandicoot with me?'

'Yes son, a promise is a promise,' she said as she eased herself up from the table.

**Sunday**

For the first time in weeks Bud was home for the entire day, no meetings, no plans, nothing. He took the boys to the IHOP for breakfast to give Harriet a chance to sleep in – after all it was the least he could do. After breakfast they stopped by the mall to run a few errands. It was also a time wasting tactic to give Harriet more time. By the time they returned home Jimmy was asleep, AJ was happy just to have spent time with his dad and Harriet was up and dressed looking more refreshed than she had in recent times.

Bud made every effort to be the ultimate family man. He felt enormous guilt at leaving Harriet and the boys alone so often. He knew she understood – but that didn't make it any easier. Bud also knew that within a month there would be two additional family members and things would never be the same.

They spent the afternoon as a family; playing games and watching DVDs. They shared jokes and told stories and by dinnertime they all felt happier than they had in a long time.

'Do you have to work late again this week?' AJ asked over the pizza they had ordered for dinner.

'Yes I do son, but I'll try not to make it too late,' Bud said in an apologetic tone.

'It's okay dad, I know you have an important job and even though you love us you need to do your job.'

Bud smiled. 'How did you get to be so clever?'

'Mom told me.' Bud kissed his wife's hand.

'You know your mom's pretty special AJ; you should always listen to her.'

'Even when she tells me to do my homework?'

'Even then.'

'Even when she tells me to clean my room?'

'Even then.'

'Even when she tells me to eat my brussel sprouts?'

'Maybe not then,' Bud laughed for he too hated those green things that pretended to be vegetables.

**Tuesday**

Bud was home at an early enough hour to have dinner with his family, a rare joy in recent times.

'AJ, did Miss Mansfield give you back your homework composition?'

'Yes mom.'

'What did she give you?'

'A+.'

'Wow, why didn't you tell us?'

'I dunno.'

'How about you get it and read it to your dad? I'm sure he'd love to hear it?'

AJ seemed unsure.

'Go get it son,' Bud prompted.

AJ retrieved the paper from his schoolbag and opened it up on the table. Jimmy started to cry.

'I'll take Jimmy upstairs so he won't disturb you,' Harriet said scooping up the wailing baby.

Harriet and Bud were lying in bed later that night, the house finally quiet.

'What did you think of AJ's composition?' Harriet asked.

'I thought it was brilliant,' Bud replied.

'But you're biased of course.'

'Of course.'

'He put a lot of work into it.'

'And every bit was true,' said Bud.

'Modest, aren't we?'

'Yeah. I mean I couldn't have said it better myself.'

Harriet sat up in bed and shook her head.

'What's the matter, Sweetie?' Bud asked.

'I'm just surprised at you. I mean I know what was written and it's true and heartfelt but I thought you'd be a little more… I don't know…modest. Your son writes how you are his hero and says some pretty good things about you, you could just…'

'Harriet, hold onto that thought.' Bud got up, quickly attached his prosthetic leg and walked out. Within minutes he returned, removed the leg and got back into bed next to his wife.

'Harriet, let me just reiterate that everything in it is true. It is brilliantly written and I couldn't have said it better myself.' He handed her the paper. The same scrawl and child's pictures jumped out from the page.

'Bud, I've read it,' Harriet protested.

'Read it again,' Bud insisted.

_My Hero_

_By AJ Roberts_

_My hero is someone who is very special. My hero always does things for other people. My hero is brave and caring. My hero makes me feel safe. My hero makes the world a better place to be. My hero is funny and friendly and knows lots of things. My hero wants what is best for me – even if its brussel sprouts. I love my hero and my hero loves me. My hero is my mom._

Harriet folded the paper and clutched it to her chest.

'Out of the mouths of babes,' said Bud.

'Yeah, for all my grumbling and groaning and moaning my little boy thinks I'm special – he loves me.'

Bud smiled and kissed his wife.

'I couldn't have said it better myself.'


End file.
